RTU draw with Berekum Arsenals

Tamale, May 23, GNA - Berekum Arsenals put up an impressive performance to hold Real Tamale United (RTU) to a goalless drawn game in their GT Premier League match at the Tamale Kaladan Park on Sunday.

It was the Arsenal boys who kept the RTU supporters sitting on thorns and guessing the outcome of the match when in the fifth minute a move initiated by the RTU defence was intercepted by Ernest Osei Boakye who moved to the left flank and gave a neat cross to Alex Asamoah who shot at goal that nearly beat Michael Abu in post for RTU.

Arsenal's early attempt at goal gave a clear warning to the RTU boys that they were in for a march of their lives. This early threat propelled the RTU boys from then to seize the midfield and put a sustained pressure on Arsenal but the water tied defence and good goal keeping from Arsenal warded off all the attacks.

As the game progressed, it degenerated into manly game with Arsenal's Ibrahim Yahaya being shown the yellow card for bringing down RTU's Peter Yakubu in the 15th minute. Sabato Yahaya of RTU also attracted a yellow card in the 19th minute for fouling Halifax Afranie of Arsenal. Towfiq Alolo of RTU came close to scoring but his cross from the right flank missed the goal posts narrowly. Philip Amoako followed with a left footed shot, which the Arsenal goalie palmed to corner in the 25th minute.

Amoako again took a loose ball and raced threateningly into Arsenals 18 yard box but the goalie came out with a timely challenge to make a brilliant save. Mohammed Baker of RTU could have registered the first goal for RTU in the dying minutes but he shot feebly into the waiting hands of the Arsenals keeper.

The first half ended goalless and when the second half resumed Arsenals Ernest Osei Boakye should have put his side in the lead in the 48th minute but his long drive shot was expertly saved by the RTU goalie. RTU marshalled more men up front and kept the Arsenal's goal area boiling but again the defence of the visitors stood firm and thwarted all their efforts at goal.

Finding difficulties in scoring, RTU substituted Alhassan Weah for Peter Yakubu in 62nd minute the substitution brought some more bite to the RTU attack but unfortunately Gafaru Abdulai collided with the Arsenal's goalie in the 65th minute to hold up play for some minutes for the goalie to be treated.

In the 75th minute, an Arsenal attacker brought down Gafaru Abdulai when he raced into the 18 yard and was about to shoot at goal. RTU was awarded a penalty.

RTU's penalty expert Weah, who elected himself to take the kick saw his shot expertly saved by the Arsenal goalie to the admiration of RTU supporters.

Arsenal occasionally made counter attacks into the RTU goal area with Osei Kofi leading the attack and creating problems for the leaking RTU defence who in an anxiety to secure the maximum points joined the attack in anticipation to score a goal.

One of such breaks nearly gave Arsenal a goal when an attacker sneaked through the depleted RTU defence but the timely intervention of the goalie denied the visitors a goal.

Abass Iddrisu also replaced Weah who had a bad day in the 75th minute but try as they did they could not score any goal until referee Stephen Oduro from Kumasi brought the game to an end. After the match, supporters of RTU rushed on Coach Mumuni Gamel in an attempt to attack him accusing him of wrong substitutions and poor technical ability to handle the Club.

The supporters warned the coach never to set foot on the park or RTU's training grounds while cheering the Arsenal boys on their way back to Berekum.

The security personnel were on hand to whisk away Coach Mumuni and referee Oduro to safety while they called for reinforcement to calm down the confusion.